Washing machine



July 15, 1930. I A. w. ALTORFER Y 1,770,383

WASHING MACHINE Filed'June 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 1 EVEN-11:52.- Hmun i HTTfE July 15, 1930. w ALTQRFER 1,770,383

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jul s,'1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v ALPHEUS w. ALTOBFEB, OF PEORIA,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS v .WASHING MACHINE Application filed June 15,

This invention has reference to washing machines, especially of thattype intended for home or domestic use, and it has for its vating anddischarging means for the waste water, preferably comprising a pump andcentrifugal discharge and associated with the latter a manually andcircumferentlally ad- 'ustable water conductin means adapted to eselectively positionc whereby to discharge the waste water into thewashing element, or into other tubs or. receptacles, or to a drain.

Other-and-various objects will more fully appear from the description ofthe machine. I That the invention may be more fully understood,reference is had to the accompanying' drawings forming part of thlsdescription, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, inwhich p Fig. 1 is a. plan view of a washing machine embodying myinvention;

Fig.2 is a side elevatlon of Fig. 1, with certain frame parts omitted;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view as the same would appear if taken onthe, hue 3-3 Fi 1' Figf4 is a vertical sectional view as the same wouldappear if taken on the line 44,

ig. 5 is a detail 1n plan, partly in sectlon, of the pump, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectlonal view of the lower portion of pump.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout thefigures.

A machlne constructed in accordance with my invention would include awashing element, comprising a tub 1 and a suitable ag1- tator orimpeller 2; also a dryer 3, preferably of the centrifugal type, andwater elevatlng and discharging means, referred to as a. whole, as 4. 1

The dryer and water elevatmg and discharging means are preferablylocated or arranged alongside each other and 1n s aced relation in acommon housing 5. Bot the tub 1 and housing 5 are supported wlthina1927. Serial No. 198,908.

head frame or casting 6 mounted on legs or standards 7, only one ofwhich is shown.

The tub 1 and agitator or impeller 2 are not unlike such elements now incommon use. The shaft 8 for oscillating the agitator or impeller 2passes up through the bottom of the tub and to its lower end is secureda gear pinion 9 with which meshes a gear segment 10, and said segment isadapted to be oscillated by a pit-man 11 connected to a crank 12 whichis in operative connection with a short vertically disposed shaft 13journaled in a housing 14. The shaft 13 has loosely carried thereon, aworm gear 15, meshing with a worm 16 carried on a driving shaft. 17arranged for connection with a motor 18, or other suitable power means.Splined to the shaft 13 is a clutch member 19 adapted for clutching anddeclutching the worm gear 15 with said shaft '13. Means for sliding theclutch member 19 is not shown.

The dryer3, at its lower end, is arranged for detachable operativeconnection with a short vertically disposed shaft 20 journaled in thehousing 14. This shaft is driven from the shaft 17 through a bevel gear21 connected with said shaft 17 and a bevel gear 22 cbnnected with theshaft 20. Loosely connected with said shaft 20 is a sprocket wheel 23and adapted to have aclutch connection therewith, whereby said sprocketwheel may be clutched to and declutched from said shaft 20 with a clutchmember 24 splined on the shaft 20. The means for sliding the member 24is not shown. The sprocket wheel 23 operates a sprocket chain 24 whichin turn operates a sprocket wheel 25 loosely carried on a shortvertically disposed shaft 26 journaled in the housing 14, and splined tosaid shaft 26 is a clutch member 27 adapted for clutching anddeclutching the sprocket wheel 25 with said shaft 26. The means forsliding the clutch member 27 on the shaft 26 is not shown. The shaft 26passes up through a bearin part 28 of the housing 14 and preferably hasa square end 29 whereby a pump member 30 may have a detachable drivingconnection therewith.

The tub 1 and the housing 5 are connected through a drain pipe 31 whichis intercepted by a valve 32 for shutting ofi communication between saidtube and housing.

The head frame 6 has an opening 33 through which articles to be washedmay be passed into and removed from the tub 1 and also to permit theremoval and placement of the agitator or impeller 2, and the head frame6 about-the opening 33 is tapered downwardly and inwardly to the opening33 to sergeas a drain to catch drippings from articles taken out of thetub and to drain the same back into said tub. Said head frame 33 isfurther provided with an opening 34 through which the dryer 3 may beinserted for placement in the housin 5 and for operative connection withthe s aft 20, and removed from said housing, and said head frame 6 isfurther rovided with an opening .35 to permit the p acement and removalof the water discharging means 4.

The bottom wall 36 of the housing 5 is provided with an opening 37 inaxial alignment with the opening 34 in the head frame 6, and saidopening is formed or provided b an upturned annular flanged wall 38,whic is'disposed vertically within said housin 5 and extending upwardlyfor a suitable istance from said bottom wall 36, within which is adaptedto be disposed and rotated the dryer 3. Said bottom wall 36 is furtherprovided at a point axially below the opening 35 in the head frame 6with a dependlng well portion 39 which rests on and is secured to thebearing portion 28-of the housing 14. The well portion is of invertedcone-like shape and it is into such well portion that the upper end ofthe aforementioned shaft 26 projects. I have shown the washing elementpreferably near one end of the head frame and spaced equidistant fromits sides. The dryer is pref- .erably located at the opposite'end of thehead frame and closest to one side for convenience of-anattendantworking on that side of the machine, whereas the pump anddistributing means is located at .the same end of the machine, as thedryer but on the opposite side for the convenience of an attendant inloca't ing the discharge means',-.whereby water may lie ilischarged intothe tub 1 or other recepac es.

The dryer 3, when in operative position in,

the housing 5, is

en reed by and connected with the shaft 20. gpo

uch dryer has an inverted cone-like lower part and an upper cone-likepart open at its upper, end with an outwardly and downwardly turnedflange 40; The two such bod rtions' of the dryer merge into a bulging yportion" 41, the wall of which is provided with arr-annular row of watere ss openings 42'. Articles" to be dried are p aced in the dryer anddue' to the cone-like body of-the u per. part, are pressed intothe-lower part an then due to centrifugal action the free waterextractedfrom such-articles finds 1 its way out of the dryer into thelower por-i,

overlies the upper end of the wall 38 to insure water discharged fromthe dryer going to the lower level of the housing 5 and preventing waterfinding outlet through the opening 37 in the bottom of said housing.

A cover .or closure 44 is provided for the upper open end of the dryer 3and has an under curved peripheral portion 45, adapted when in closedposition to restore and engage the flange 40 of said dryer. Said coveris supported by a member, preferably a bar 46 with which'it has a ballbearing connection, as at 47, to ermit said closure, while supported bysai bar and when in closed osition, to rotate freely with said dryer.his bar is hinged at one end, as at 4 8, to the head frame 6 and baselocking means at its opposite end to lock it in closed position. Thehead frame 6 is recessed, as at 49, to the underside of which, a lockingmember 50 may be caused to engage for locking the bar 46 in closedposition. Such member is carried'by a stem 51 journaledth'rough the freeend of the bar 46 and to its upper end is secured a lever 52 ,for movingsaid member 50 to locking and with an outwardly and downwardly turnedrtion 54. To the lower end of said flanged receptace .53 is connectedthe pump member 30 which comprises a basin 55 having a centralupstanding hub 56 adapted for detachable operative connection with theshaft 26. Said hub extending up into the lower end of the receptacle 53and connected thereto through the series of radially arranged pumpingmembers or blades 57. The basin I 55 is sha ed to conform to thewell-portion 39 in-the ttom wall 36 of the housing 5 and is adapted toreceive water discharged from the dryer 3, or water conducted into saidhousing throu h the pipe 31 from-the tub 1 and through t e action of thepump impels the same into the receptacle 53 and by centrifugal actiondischarged from said receptacle at the upper end thereof. The directionof movement of water from the dryer to and through the receptacle beingshown by arrows. v

The length of the receptacle 53 is such that when in operative position,its upper end projects' above. the head-frame 6 and is rotatably tatablycarried by a member,

carried within a removably supported casing 58. This casing comprises atubular portion 54 of the receptacle 53 overlies the upper end of saidtubular portion of the casing within an enlarged head 60 of said casing,into which Water expelled from the receptacle 53 is discharged, to beconducted therefrom through a radially arranged spout 61. It will beunderstood that an attendant may swing the spout and casing'circ'umferentially about the upper end of the receptacle-and positionsuch spout so as to direct water expelled by the receptacle 53 to thetub 1, the dryer 3 or into a tub or other receptacle positionedalongside the machine. In other 'words, soapy water from the tub 1, onthe extraction of water from articles taken from the tub 1 maybereturned thereto; or bluing or rinse water extracted from the articlesmay be returned to the tub or other receptacle or receptacles containingsuch a liquid, and while I have shown the tub 1 and the casing 5provided with drain-cocks 62 and 63 respectively, for

draining both these elements, it will be understood that the pump andwater discharging means may be utilized for conducting waste water fromeither or both to a properly positioned drain, by simply turning thespout 61 to a suitable position or positions. The

head 60 is preferably of greater diameter than the tubular portion ofthe casing 58,

with its bottom wall encircling the tubular portion below the upperopen'end of such tubular portion. The direction water will take whenexpelled from the upper end of the receptacle 53 is shown by arrows. Thecasing 58 and the receptacle 53 are removable together, both forshipping purposes and to permit of the placing of a table top 64, seedotted lines in Fig. 2, across the top ofthe machine, whereby themachine, with the table-top may have use for other purposes than just awashing machlne. As constructed, the removal of the casing 58 with 1tsspout 61 leaves the top of the machine free and unobstructed so as topermit of the use of the top 64. Alsoythe head 60 of the casing 58 hasan open upper end to permit of the removal of the receptacle 53v withoutthe removal of the casing 58.

A closure or cover 66 is provided for closing the upper end of thereceptacle 53, being adapted to rest on and against the flange 54 ofsaid receptacle, and said cover is formed or provided with passageways67 to direct water radially from the receptacle 53 1nto the head portion60 of the casing 58 to be discharged at selected points about thereceptacle, through the spout 61. This cover 64 1s ropreferably a bar 68hinged at 69 to one side 0 the head 60 and by means of a locking lever70, at the opposite side of said head, may be secured in closed positionholding the closure or cover 66 in closed position on and to rotate withthe receptacle 53.

From the foregoing description it should be obvious that I have providedin a washing machine, a washin element, a centrifugal drying element ana centrifugal pumping element having an adjustable water dischargingmeans, which are so arranged and positioned in relation to each otherthat articles cleansed by the washing element may be removed therefromto the dryin element and the free water extracted by sai dryer pumpedback to the washing element; or after the extraction of the free waterfrom such articles they may be placed in rinsing or bluing water andagain placed in the dryer and the free water extracted therefrom pumpedback to the receptacle or receptacles containing such rinsing or bluingwater, and when it-is desired to carry off waste water from the washingelement or the drying element to a suitable drain, instead of drainingeach and carrying such waste water to a drain, the pump may be utilizedfor this purpose. Also, after a washing and drying operation the waterdistributing means of the pump may be removed and a table-top placedacross-the top of the machine to permit of using the machine forpurposes other than a washing machine.

What I claim is z-- 1. In a washing machine, in combination acentrifugal extractor, a pump including a liquid discharging spoutmanually adjustable to selectively position such spout in relation tosaid extractor or other receptacle, means to conduct liquid expelled bysaid extractor to said pump, and clutch controlled driving means forsaid extractor and said pump.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, a centrifugal extractor, acentrifugal pump including a rotatable rece tacle and a dischar e spoutmanually an circumferentially a justable about said receptacle, a casingcommon to both said extractor and pump and from which both areremovable, said casing arranged to conduct liquid expelled by said acentrifugal extractor, a pump includin a rotatable receptacle arrangedfor the charge of liquid by centrifugal action therefrom, a head-framecommon to said element, extractor and pump and having openings for theplacement and removal of the same,

a liquid receiving and discharging casing removably supported at thehead of said receptacle and circumferentially adjustable thereabout, aliquid conducting s out connected with said casing and adjusta letherewith, and means for conductin liquid expelled from said extractorto said ump.

5. In a washing machine, in com ination, a centrifugal extractor, a pumpincludin a rotatable receptacle arranged for the ischarge of li 1d bycentrifugal action therefrom, a head-frame common to said extractor andpump and havin openings for the placement and removal 0 the same, aliquid receiving and discharge casing removably supported at the head ofsaid receptacle and circumferentially adjustable thereabout, a liquidconducting spout connected with said casing and adjustable therewith,means for conducting liquid expelled from said extractor to said pump,and a driving element for said extractor and pump and with which thesame are arranged for detachable connection.

6. In a washing machine, in combination, a centrifugal drier, aconductor separate from the drier for conveying liquid from the drierincluding means to im 1 and to elevate hy centrifugalaction sai liquid,anda manually and circumferentially adjustable means to receive anddischarge such liquid from said last mentioned means.

7. In a washing machine, means to conduct liquid from receiving todischarging positions, comprisin a rotatable receptacle arran ed to havet e liquid inducted therein at its ower end and by centrifugal actionelevate such liquid to its upper and dischar 6 end, means to impel sucliquid into t 0 lower end of said 'rece tacle, and a manually andcircumferentially adjustable liquid receiving'and discharging means atthe upper end of said receptacle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my hand this 4th dav of Jtitle, 1927's v ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER,

